THE INVISIBLE REALM #2: SPIRITUAL WARFARE
OPENING TEXT: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (1 Peter 5:8).
REVIEW LAST WEEK: “Angels and Demons”
In addition to the physical realm that we see, there exists an invisible spirit realm that the Bible refers to as the Heavenlies. This invisible realm is inhabited by good spirit beings called angels and evil spirit beings called demons, and affects our world every day.
• Discuss reactions to last week’s discussion of dust-mites. Ignorance is not bliss!
THE BIG IDEA: As believers, we are engaged in a spiritual war. We need to put on all of God’s armor, so we can stand firm against all the strategies of the devil.
KEY TEXT: EPHESIANS 6:10-18:
10 A final word: Be strong with the Lord’s mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil.
• Our strength comes from the Lord. We can’t defeat the enemy on our own.
• Jesus came to defeat the works of the devil (1 John 3:8).
• Yes it’s true that Satan is a defeated a foe, but he is a deceiver!
• The Devil has strategies and tricks, and we need to be aware of them!
• We need God’s armor if we want to stand firm against the enemy.
12 For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms.
• People are not the enemy! Never fight against another person. No ‘friendly fire’.
• We are to fight against the forces of darkness.
DISCERNING DEMONIC SPIRITS:
1. A Spirit of Heaviness (Isaiah 61:3)
- inner hurts, suicidal thoughts, depression, despair, hopelessness, self-pity, sorrow, grief
2. A Spirit of Fear (2 Tim. 1:7)
- untrusting, doubt, anxiety, stress, nightmares, torment, horror, many phobias
3. A Spirit of Infirmity (Luke 13:11)
- many different sicknesses can be causes by demons, but not all are.
4. A Spirit of Divination (Acts 16:16)
- desire for magic, witchcraft, horoscopes, fortune telling, sorcery, occult. Dangerous!
5. A Lying Spirit (1 Kings 22:23)
- false teaching, gossip, lies, slander, accusations, flattery, superstitions
6. A Spirit of Jealousy (Num. 5:14)
- cause divisions, envy, extreme competition, contention, strife, revenge, anger
7. A Spirit of Rebellion (1 Sam. 15:23)
- pride, rebellion, rejection of God and leadership, contentious, strife, arrogant
- this is why UNITY is so important! (Psalm 133 & John 17)
THE ARMOR OF GOD: (Ephesians 6)
13 Use every piece of God’s armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm.
• How do we put on the armor of God? Some people over-allegorize and spiritualize this armor, and turn it into a religious ritual of “praying on the armor of God” in the morning.
• They miss the point that Paul is using a word picture to show us how we fight against the enemy. The armor of God is a picture of the lifestyle we need to live if we want to win!
14 Stand your ground, putting on:
1. The HELMET of SALVATION:
• Even though this piece comes later in this passage, I am including it first because it is the pre-requisite for all of the other ones.
• If we want to be strong in the Lord, we must first be saved – be a Christian.
• Until Jesus Christ is the Lord of our life, we are in the kingdom of darkness!
• Application: If you don’t know Jesus as Lord and Saviour, surrender your life to Him.
2. The BELT of TRUTH:
• If the devil is a liar and the father of all lies (John 8:44), then one of the surest ways we can stand against him is by committing to telling the truth.
• Jesus said: “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32).
• There is no freedom apart from the truth. The devil uses deceit to trick and trap us.
• A lot of spiritual warfare happens in the realm of the mind. “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds.” (2 Cor. 10:3-4).
• This is why it’s important to guard our heart and mind, and watch what movies we watch and music we listen to, because it affects our thinking. Garbage in, garbage out.
• Application: Commit to walk in truth and integrity. Confess all lies.
3. The BREASTPLATE of RIGHTEOUSNESS:
• From the very beginning of creation, one of Satan’s main strategies has been to separate us from our relationship with God by getting us to sin.
• Earlier in Ephesians, Paul writes: “You must display a new nature because you are a new person, created in God’s likeness – righteous, holy, and true. So put away all falsehood and “tell your neighbor the truth” because we belong to each other. And "don’t sin by letting anger gain control over you." Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, for anger gives a mighty foothold to the Devil.” (Eph. 4:24-27).
• When we sin, we are ‘taking off our breastplate of righteousness’ and giving the devil a foothold in our lives.
• Application: Commit to walk in righteousness. If you sin, be quick to repent and confess.
4. The SHOES of PEACE:
• That comes from the Good News, so that you will be fully prepared.
• There are two kinds of peace – peace with God and peace with people – because of Jesus.
• One of the other main strategies of the enemy is to destroy our peace in our relationships with people, and get us mad at and fighting each other, instead of fighting him.
• When we get into strife in relationships, we are no longer ‘going’ and being witnesses for Jesus, and making a difference in the world.
• When we get into strife, we enter “the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will” (2 Tim. 2:23,26).
• “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them…Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:29, 31-32).
• Second Cor. 2:11 also tells us that when we don’t forgive, Satan takes advantage of us.
• Two main areas the enemy wants to get us into strife = in families and in the church
• Application: Walk in forgiveness towards others, and refuse to pick up an offense.
5. The SHIELD of FAITH:
• To stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
• Faith is a weapon God has given us to stop the devil’s attacks.
• How do we get faith? From the Word (Romans 10:17).
• Example from the life of Jesus = resisted temptation through the Word (Matt. 4).
• Application: The more of the Word we have in our hearts, the bigger our shield of faith!
6. The SWORD of the Spirit, THE WORD OF GOD:
• If we don’t learn how to get into God’s Word, we will never be victorious as Christians:
• God’s Word tells us who we are in Christ, and gives us tools to overcome Satan.
7. PRAY:
• “Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit.”
• For some Christians, this is all they know of spiritual warfare, and they start here.
• The problem with this is our prayers won’t be effective unless we first have on the helmet of salvation (we are Christians), the breastplate of righteousness (right-standing with God), and the shoes of peace (right relationships with others).
• FIRST we submit to God, THEN we resist the devil in prayer and he flees (James 4:7).
• Application: Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.
CLOSING: As believers, we are engaged in a spiritual war. We need to put on all of God’s armor, so we can stand firm against all the strategies of the devil.
• Get saved, walk in righteousness before God and peace with others
• Walk in truth, faith and the Word and Pray Always!
If we do this, we will win! The battle is not ours but the Lord’s! (1 Sam. 17:47)
• No weapon formed against us will prosper! (Isaiah 54:17)
• When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Lord will raise up a standard! (Isaiah 59:19)
• Greater is he who is in us, then he who is in the world! (1 John 4:4)
Beausejour Community Church Website: www.beausejourchurch.ca
Pastor Chris Jordan’s Blog: http://thelandofpromise.blogspot.com/
